Comparison of musical activities by cochlear implant users

Abstract

The MUMU-questionnaire was used to investigate self-reported perception of music and the musical activities of adult cochlear implant users pre- and post implantation. Post-lingually deafened adults using either the CIS coding strategy as implemented in the Medel Combi 40/40+ implant or the SPEAK coding strategy as implemented in the Nucleus 22 and 24 implants completed the questionnaire. To date, 104 CIS and 69 SPEAK users have participated in the study. The age structures of both groups were similar. There was no overall difference in the number of users who reported that they regularly listen to music, in the styles of music listened to or the instruments that were preferred. Melody recognition, rhythm detection and a natural and enjoyable musical sound quality were reported by an equal number of subjects in both groups. In the CIS users the increase in the amount of active participation in musical activities after implantation was higher than in SPEAK users.